Momentum is building to abolish the death penalty, with Parliament signalling readiness to act, provided the government takes the lead in bringing a Bill.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lilongwe facilitated by Reprieve on Tuesday, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Victor Musowa said lawmakers are open to scrapping capital punishment but stressed that progress hinges on coordinated advocacy led by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
“Members of Parliament are willing. But the proposal must come through the proper government channels,” he said.
Musowa called for broader engagement amid growing global pressure to end the death penalty, noting that Malawi has not carried out an execution since 1992, despite the punishment remaining in law.
“As Parliament, we must protect human rights—not because civil society is calling for it, but because it is fundamental. That includes the rights of offenders,” he stated.
On her part, Malawi Human Rights Commission executive secretary Habiba Osman said abolishing the death penalty will align with the Constitution and international treaties the country has ratified.
“The death penalty exposes people to human rights violations. Abolition is consistent with the right to life and human dignity,” she said, adding that the commission will continue providing technical guidance and engaging both Parliament and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee chairperson Gilbert Khonyongwa said lawmakers will approach the issue from a human rights, not partisan, perspective.
He said the committee plans to engage the ministry to table a Bill, building on groundwork already done in previous consultations.
Efforts to abolish capital punishment stalled ahead of the September 16 2025 General Election, but Khonyongwa said the committee is ready to re-engage stakeholders for a renewed push.
Lilongwe Phirilanjuzi MP Peter Dimba (Malawi Congress Party), who previously led research on the issue, maintained that the death penalty undermines full enjoyment of human rights.
Reprieve fellow Misheck Jere said consultations show near-unanimous support among MPs.
“Almost every MP we have engaged supports abolition. The next step is to bring them together with the Ministry of Justice for formal discussions,” he said.
Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Frank Namangale said he needed more time to consult before commenting.
Malawi last carried out executions in 1992, when 12 people were hanged. A 2021 attempt to abolish the death penalty failed in Parliament after lawmakers called for further consultations.
However, public sentiment appears to be shifting. Parliamentary hearings in 2022 found that 94 percent of respondents supported abolition, while a 2018 study by PASI and Cornell University showed most traditional leaders in high-homicide areas also opposed the death penalty.
